Airfares for the upcoming New Year holiday are expected to rise by more than
15 percent ... but that isn't stopping Taiwanese travelers from booking trips
overseas.

Online travel agency ezTravel says flight bookings for the Christmas and New
Year period are up 10 percent from a year earlier, despite higher fuel
surcharges and other travel fees.

Japan remains the most popular destination, with Tokyo topping the list and
Okinawa climbing from fifth to second place.

South Korea's Busan is also gaining popularity, with bookings for both Busan
and Okinawa jumping more than 40 percent year-on-year.

EzTravel says short flights, convenient transportation and good value for
money are helping make the two coastal destinations especially attractive.

Meanwhile, government figures show Taiwanese travelers made more than 14.5
million trips overseas in the first eight months of this year ... up 15
percent from a year earlier.

(IG)